


A Happy Holiday Indeed

by paulatheprokaryote



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Community: HPFT, Fluff, Gen, Holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-14
Updated: 2016-05-14
Packaged: 2018-06-08 10:06:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6850339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paulatheprokaryote/pseuds/paulatheprokaryote
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <img/>
</p>
<p>Dobby, a free elf, receives the best Christmas present he could have asked for.</p>
<p>Written for Marshal's 'Tis the Season Challenge on HPFF and Incredible banner by victus. @The-Dark-Arts.net</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Happy Holiday Indeed

Even with the pain, cruelty, and abuse inflicted by the Malfoys, Dobby had never felt so downcast and alone as he was now on Christmas Day. Thanks to his dearest friend, the noble Harry Potter, Dobby has been a free elf for six months. While thrilled by this novel freedom, Dobby, without friends or a family to serve, had to spend his first Christmas as a free elf entirely by himself.

The first week of July he had found an abandoned shack just south of Warwick to call his own. It was a definite upgrade from sleeping in dumpsters and cardboard boxes as he had the previous month. He spent all of August repairing the kitchen. The showers of September forced him to spend weeks mending the roof. He was turning it into a place he could call home. The chill of October came and brought a chill of silence from his once best friends. He invited several of the house elves he knew from his Malfoy days over for a dinner party, but not one of them bothered to show up. Instead, he received letters from the elves he had thought were his friends berating him for not being properly ashamed of his newfound freedom.

How could Dobby be ashamed when he could finally live his own life the way he so chose?

The second week of December, Dobby trekked through frigid snow piled up to his knees to find the perfect Christmas tree for his humble abode. He searched the forest for hours before he found the one that would be perfect in his home. He couldn’t just pick any old tree. After all, it was his first tree as a free elf! It had to be perfect. The looming three-meter tall fir tree full of docile fairies flickering lazily would look magnificent next to the hearth. After dragging the colossal tree all the way back to his home, Dobby discovered neon green ribbon from an old bird nest that had previously resided inside the fireplace to wrap around the tree. For a topper, he gathered up pinecones and glued them into the shape of a star.

He couldn’t help but rejoice in the fact that Narcissa Malfoy would absolutely hate it. She’d call it ‘rustic’ with an unyielding sneer of disgust.

Christmas morning, Dobby hopped out from under his hand-sewn quilt and began cleaning the house for the holidays and preparing for cooking later in the afternoon. Even if he had to spend the holiday alone, he wouldn’t be spending it hungry. He purchased a goose with the little bit of money that he had and found a local community garden to pick fresh vegetables from. His first free Christmas would be one to remember, he’d make sure of it. After trying to busy away the day with preparing and restraightening his decorated tree, Dobby finally put the goose in the oven for dinner.

A light rapping on his thin, pine door, startled Dobby. His friends had changed their minds! Dobby excitedly rushed to the door, hoping to see the friendly face of one of the old house elves. He was met instead with the towering, snow-covered figure of Albus Dumbledore.

“Ah! Hello, Dobby. Would you mind if I came in?” Dumbledore smiled down at Dobby with his usual twinkling smile, stepping into the small living room.

“No sir! Come right in, sir! Such an honor it is!” Dobby squeaked excitedly.

Maybe he didn’t have a family or the other elves with him for Christmas, but he did have arguably one of the greatest wizards of all time standing in his living room. How many wizards, much less house elves, could say the same?

“Dobby, might we sit?” Dumbledore requested, admiring Dobby’s house.

“Of course! Dobby didn’t know he’d have a guest or Dobby would have cleaned up better! Can Dobby offer Albus Dumbledore a refreshment?” Dobby exclaimed while running around the house in a fluster.

“Now, Dobby. It looks quite lovely as it is. Please, join me. I’ve come to discuss an important matter with you,” Dumbledore patted to a spot on the rickety couch beside him.

Dobby quivered with delight as he sat beside Albus Dumbledore.

“Dobby, I’ll just get right to it. I’d like to offer you a position at Hogwarts. We could use your considerable skill in the kitchens,” Dumbledore proposed.

“Dobby does not know what to say!” He replied delightedly.

“The job pays ten galleons a week with weekends off,” Dumbledore offered.

“Ten galleons a week!” Dobby cried out in astonishment.

“Is that not enough? We can discuss what you feel would be a fair amount,” Dumbledore answered nonplussed.

“Enough? No sir, that is far too much! What if Dobby works in exchange for room and board with a weekend off once a year instead?” Dobby countered enthusiastically.

“Dobby, that’s hardly better than being enslaved! How about five galleons a week with two weekends off per month,” Dumbledore tried to reason with him.

“Sir, Dobby simply cannot accept that. One galleon per week and a day off per month,” Dobby asserted in a surprisingly final tone.

Dumbledore sighed in defeat before consenting.

“You’ll need to start before Christmas break ends, if you would. The sooner the better,” Dumbledore requested.

“I can be at Hogwarts the day after tomorrow,” Dobby assured Dumbledore.

“Excellent! Is that goose I smell?” Dumbledore sniffed the air heartily.

“Yes, sir. Would you care to join Dobby for some dinner?” Dobby inquired eagerly.

“I’d absolutely love to!” Albus accepted the dinner invitation.

Dobby set the table quite elegantly for his tight budget. He used crisp linens that he had found and washed as a place setting. He arranged scavenged plates, silverware, and a decorative twig of rosemary on each plate. He served the goose and a wide variety of vegetables, chatting animatedly with the well-known wizard about his favorite knitting patterns.

“I’ve got some jammie dodgers in my coat for dessert!” Dumbledore fished a box of cookies out of his robe pocket.

Dumbledore and Dobby sat by the hearth with full bellies belting Christmas carols and downing a bottle of mead also from Dumbledore’s pocket. Dobby didn’t realize it, but Dumbledore also did not have anyone to spend Christmas with. He had put his beloved in Nurmengard, his brother abhorred him, and his sister…oh his sister. Holidays always made him feel lonely.

As the evening wore on, Albus Dumbledore realized he needed to return the castle. He bid Dobby farewell as he reached the flimsy door, but paused before leaving. He patted at his robes as if her were searching for something. Seemingly out of nowhere, Dumbledore produced a rather large, neatly wrapped package.

“I almost forgot! Happy Christmas, Dobby!” He handed Dobby the large package and disappeared with a loud pop.

Dobby ripped the wrapping paper excitedly, tearing into the present. Inside the box was a humongous pile of sweaters, socks, hats, tea cozies, and mittens hand-knitted by Albus Dumbledore himself.

Dobby decided that this was the best Christmas ever.


End file.
